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Birds > flyaway  > Birds > Baby Bird Nestbox Logs > Baby Chickadees Photo Journal
Welcome to the popular Baby Chickadees photojournal, where you'll follow the amazing day-by-day growth and development of seven baby chickadees from the parents' nest building to the day the nestlings fledged into the wide world.

These Carolina Chickadees nested in one of my bluebird boxes in the spring of 2004.

I have other galleries for a wide variety of birds -- please visit them too!
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< 46 of 64 >
flyaway > May 15, Day 11:

The top of the mandible (beak) is fully dark by now. The sides of the jaws will retain the original off-white color.
flyaway > May 16, Day 12:  
The nestlings are so big I can't even get them all in one picture any more. (The nestbox roof only opens to about 80 degrees, so i can't get the camera any higher.)
flyaway > May 16, Day 12:  
Even scrunched up as small as it can get itself, this nestling is more than 2½ inches long -- relaxed, it would be closer to 3 inches. Its body is really full-sized -- it needs only its tailfeathers to achieve the adult Carolina Chickadee length of 4½ inches.

The nestlings are supposed to play dead when a predator approaches the nest, but the curious chick in the middle can't help peeking.
flyaway > May 17, Day 13:  
Seven little chickadees, all in a row.
The chicks have obviously been moving around in the nestbox on their own. Some of the gawky adolescents don't even fit into the nest cup at all any more.
flyaway > May 17, Day 13:

They look like real chickadees now!

This is the last day we can risk taking a chick out of the nestbox. The oldest will be fledging soon, and if we get them too upset they may fledge prematurely.
flyaway > May 17, Day 13:  
This chick looks almost like an adult Carolina Chickadee, but it's still a bit fuzzy around the edges.
flyaway > May 17, Day 13:

The chicks are gaining strength, so that as soon as their feathers are fully developed they'll be ready to fly.
flyaway > May 17, Day 13:

This chick's flight feathers are fully grown. In a few days there will be several chicks bumbling around in the trees near the nestbox as they work on learning to take off, land, and steer a straight line.
flyaway > May 17, Day 13:  
After a few moments of flapping, the nestling settles down in my hand. Its tail is growing in fast, and then it will be ready to go.
May 15, Day 11:

The top of the mandible (beak) is fully dark by now. The sides of the jaws will retain the original off-white color.
 > May 15, Day 11:

The top of the mandible (beak) is fully dark by now. The sides of the jaws will retain the original off-white color.
May 15, Day 11:

The top of the mandible (beak) is fully dark by now. The sides of the jaws will retain the original off-white color.
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Keywords: nest chickadees nestbox baby chickadees baby birds nestlings
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< 46 of 64 >

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